Cartridge magazine for machine guns



Mar. 6, 1923-.

J. S. JOHNSTON CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Aug. 25, 191'? TOR I/VVEIV JAMES S- GEN r I v;

JOHNSTON Patented e; 1923. 'I v g v 3 442 15mm et-s PATENT Em S. 'lTOHNSTON, OF 'CI'JJICA NEW YORK.

can'rariaen maeazmn roa momma eons.

Application filed August 25, 1917. Serial Ito. 188,084.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the Unitedv States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridge Magazines for Machine Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to a cartridge magazine for machine guns and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact. description thereof suflicient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same reference bein had to the accompanying drawings in whicii like 'referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout thes'pecification.

The object of the invention is to provide a ma azine for machine guns that will utilize the empty shells for forcing or crowding the loaded shells into loading position. To this end, the magazine is constructed to receive the empty shells atone side of the firearm and discharge the loaded cartridges into the cartridge carrier of the firearm at the opposite side. -An expan 've spring is employed to take up vacant s ace left anoccupied in the magazine after the first three shells have leftand before the first empty shell reaches the same. v

The object will be understood by referrin to the drawings in which:

ig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the magazine, showing an elevation; F1 2 is a fragmentarydetail view, showing 1: e first cartridge leaving the magazine. and entering the carrier of the machine gun; Fi 3 is a fragmentary detail view, show: ing t e second cartridge leaving the magazine and entering the carrier of the gun, the first cartridge having progressed to loading position; ig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line H of Fig. 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows. This view'shows the first cartridge progressed to third position,

of the ma "azine;

where it is about to enter the opposite end Fi 5 1s a plan view of the magazine, showing parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 6 1s a transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; v

Fig. 7 is a view looking into the end of the magazine, as indicated by the arrows on the line 7-7 of Fig. .5. h

ber.

Fig. :8 is an enlarged fragmented view showing a section taken on the Kne d-6 of F ig. 5.

eferring more particularly to the drawto 1ngs, the magazine embodies a casing -1- forming a circuitous passageway for the travel of cartridges. The open space betweenthe upper .and lower passages will be covered by the casing .-1-.' The open ends at 2 and 3 of the passageway permit of the admission and exlt of the cartridges 4. The casmg adjacent these open ends 2 and 3 has yieldlng projections 5-5 which slip over the shoulders 6-6 formed in the gun, when the parts are assembled. The yielding proectlons 5 are made by slitting the surface of the casing -1-, as shown particularly by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. The slits terminate in the round holes adapted to add to the yielding tendency of the free ends and v the permanency thereof.

The casing -1- is held in assembled pos1t1on upon the receiver portion of the gun 7 by a shoulder 8 thereon adapted to engage a eorrespondin ly formed recess made by the shoulder 9 o the gun 7 and by the spring pressed latch 10 -adapted to engage a correspondingly form'ed recess made by the shou der 11 of the gun 7. The -move-, mentof the'latch 10 is controlled by a finger piece 12 which is protectedfrom jamming by the lugs 13-13 attached to the casing -1-. The finger piece 12 is held from moving completely away from, the casin -1 y a pin 15 working 'in an elongated the smaller part of the cartridges 4 in order to keep said cartridges 4 from jamming. The lateral sides of the casing 1- are made with annular grooves 19-19 which are intended to receive the correspondingly formed edges of the end plates 20-20 of the sectional spring 21, whereby to guide. said spring in its course around the chainjust short of the open endsof the chamber, thereby leaving a shoulder to prevent the escape ofthe spring 21.

In operation, the chamber formed by the casing will be filled with the car- 110 tridges yby pushing the same into the chamber at the open end 3 until said cham- Thej annular grooves. 19 terminate her is filled and the sectional spring 21 compressed to the degree illustrated in Fig. 1. Thus filled, the casing will be mounted upon the 7 by inserting the shoulder 8 of the casm -1 into the recess formed by the sho der 9 of the gun. The latch 10 will automatically engage the recess formed by the shoulder 11 and the yielding projections 5 will slip over the shoulders 6 of the gun. Immediately the casin1g1- is assembled, the first cartridge-4 w 1 drop into the carrier 20 thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring 21 will expand to just that degree permitted by reason of the removal of the first cartridge'from the cas ing ---1-. By working the bolt of the n, a second cartridge 4 will drop into t e carrier and the first cartridge 4 will move into loading sition, leaving the spring to expand sti further or the distance measured by the diameter of two cartridges, as shown in Fig; 3. After the is fired, the empty shell will be carried around into the location shown in Fig. 4 or adjacent the sectional spring 21, w ich has expanded now to'a space measured by the diameter of three cartridges. Thereafter the empty shells which follow this first, will push the sprin 21 around the chamber until the same is halted by the shoulders opposite the opening 3. The casing -1 can be removed now by manipulating the fingerpiecc '12 to release the latch 10 from the recess formed by the shoulder 11 on the gun 7. The empty shells are expelled and loaded cartridges substituted.

The sectional spring 21 may be 'inade in separate parts, if desired, so as to facilitate the passage of the spring around the chamber of the casing --1-.

Hav' thus described; .my invention what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. In a cartridge magazine for machine guns, a demountable casing, a circuitous passageway in said casing, means for permittingthe empty shells to reenter said passageway, whereby to press the loaded shells into firing position and means 10- guns, a casing, having a circuitous passageway, a sprln pressed latch for detachably securing sai casingto said machine gun, means for permitting the empty shells to reenter the assageway, whereby to push the loaded she s into firing position and means for taking up any slack space in said passageway.

4. In a cartridge magazine for machine guns, a casing, a circuitous (passageway in said casing, a'spring presse latch for securing said casing to the machine gun, means for permitting the empty shells to reenter said Epssag'way, whereby to push the loaded she into firing position, and a sectional spring for taking up any slack space in said passageway.

, 5. In a cartridge magazine for machine guns, a casing, a circuitous passa way in said casing a spring pressed late for securing said casing to said machine gun, openings for permitting the empty shells to reenter said assageway, whereby to push the loaded shell; into firing position, and a movable spring for taking up any slack space in said casing.

6. In a cartridge magazine for machine guns, a casing having a circuitous passageway, a spring pressed latch for securing said casing to the machine gun, a finger piece for actuating said latch, means for permitting the empty cartridge shells to reenter said casing, whereby to push the loaded shells into firing position and means for taking up any slack space in said passa .eway.

n testimony whereof I have ailixed my signature.

L J S. JOHNSTON. 

